On round three of the 2017 Valvoline Motorsport Ireland National Forest Rally Championship which took place in Donegal as Marty McCormack and co-driver David Moynihan stormed to victory in the Skoda Fabia R5.

Second overall was the Mitsubishi Evo 6 of Patrick O’Brien and co-driver Stephen O’Brien, the former Valvoline Junior Champion. In third place was Dungiven driver Jordan Hone in his Rallyhire Group N Lancer Evo 9 while in fourth overall was another Evo, driven Cathan McCourt, overcoming a stage one puncture to also take the Group N class. Cork’s Ger Lucey in his Evo 8 finished next and take over the lead of the championship at the half-way stage. He recovered from a wrong tyre choice to climb up the leader-board, and like in 2016 he once again leads the Valvoline points race.

No one expected the Valvoline Two Wheel Drive category winner to make the podium in Donegal, but that’s what happened as Comber’s David Crossen  brought his Mark 2 Escort into a fabulous third place overall with co-driver Damien Fleming on the pace-notes. Former Valvoline 2WD champions, Shane McGirr and Micky Conlon were left to tussle for second in what was a frenetic race. John Gordon and Thomas Wedlock finished third in their ever enthusiastically driven Mark 2 Escort.

The Valvoline Junior Section (Class 16), where the eligible crews are competing for an automatic Motorsport Ireland Billy Coleman Award nomination at the season’s end, saw Stephen Dickson, take the category after blitzing the final stage.

The M. O’Brien Plant Hire Junior 1000 class for 16-18 year olds, entered its third round  in Donegal and once again the Peugeot 107’s of Alex Byrne and Jason Murphy, lined up to do battle. It was Jason Murphy’s turn to take victory this time, the Mayo driver coping with clutch issues to take the win from Alex Byrne.

Cork is the venue next for the Jim Walsh Cork Forest Rally in July. With a County Cork man leading the driver’s championship interest will be high at the end of July.

2017 Valvoline Motorsport Ireland National Forest Rally Championship leaderboard:

1st Ger Lucey                45

2nd Josh Moffett            42

3rd David Crossen        40

4th Sam Moffett             38

5th Marty McCormack  38